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Westleigh Maintenance Company Ltd

Annual General Meeting Monday 19 July 2010 Present

Julie Culshaw, Mary Greenhalgh, Vera Sisson, Ingrid Kempster, Edward Kempster, Irene Rodger, Colin Rodger, Gerry Clarke, Edith Pickles, Pat Powell, Heather Pollitt, Roy Johnson.

Apologies

Manoj Hira, Reg Marsden, Lavinia Marsden, John Sillar

1.Minutes of the last AGM held on 22 July 2009 were accepted.

2.The accounts for the year ended 31 March 2010 were accepted.

Although these showed an overall loss, this was due to late maintenance payments, and these had since been paid.

3.Appointment of accountants.

The finance director suggested that we remain with our current accountants, and this was accepted.

4.Appointment of directors.

The current directors were all standing for re-election. There were no nominations for new directors. The current directors were re-elected.

5.Appointment of company secretary.

Julie Culshaw moved a vote of thanks and appreciation to the secretary and other directors in recognition of the amount of work they undertook on behalf of the Company.

Heather Pollitt was elected as secretary.

6.Increase in service charge.

Because of the lack of any surplus to pay for improvements and maintenance, the directors recently looked into the possibility of arranging a bank overdraft. This was not pursued because of the cost and the excessive bureaucracy attached. The possibility of extraordinary payments was also discussed and rejected in favour of an increase in the service charge.

The meeting finally agreed that the directors should prepare a financial projection for the next one to two years, based on an increase in the annual service charge to somewhere between £1100 and £1200.

Any Other Business

7.Managing agents.

The directors recently decided to end the relationship with the Guthrie Partnership as managing agents, because it was felt that the directors themselves were able to act more efficiently on behalf of Westleigh and its interests.

However, the advisory services of Alec Guthrie himself would be retained as and when required for legal purposes.

8.Maintenance.

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Directors had spoken to Dave Roberts, who agreed to act as a point of contact for local maintenance services. It was stressed that this did not represent an agreement to cover the costs of any works commissioned: these could only be met following agreement of the directors.

Gerry Clarke reminded the meeting that in cases where leaks from one apartment were affecting another, the costs of any repairs and redecoration were the responsibility of the owner causing the leaks.

9.Gardening.

There was general dissatisfaction with the services provided by the current gardeners. A quotation from another local gardening service had been ob-

tained, and it was agreed to change to this alternative service for a trial period once sufficient funds were available – probably towards the end of Septem-

ber.

10.Purchase of freehold.

The purchase of the freehold was now complete, and Westleigh owners were in a position to either cease or continue making ground rent payments. Pat Powell suggested that the current payment should be included in the annual service charge, payable by one direct debit. This suggestion was accepted.

11.External re-decoration.

The replacement of the finials, cleaning of driveways, and repainting of fascia boards was almost complete. A vote of thanks was extended to Edith Pickles for allowing the use of her garage for storage during these works.

The meeting concluded at 20.15.

(From: http://www.mantex.co.uk/2010/10/20/how-to-write-the-minutes-of-meetings/)

5. Have you ever been elected or assigned as secretary of the committee you belong to or as secretary of a meeting? Have you ever had to take minutes? Why are minutes important? What are they taken for? Do you know how to take, prepare and present minutes? Share your experience and ideas with the group.

Compare your ideas with the tips given below.

a. It is most likely that you will make rough notes during the meeting, then convert these to your formal minutes of the meeting after it has finished.

Remember that you are summarizing the most important issues, so you need to use a number of skills at the same time

good listening skills;

the ability to summarize;

good note-taking skills.

Your job is to distinguish the less from the more important points of discussion. For this you can use your own system of abbreviations.

b. Many people find it difficult to listen carefully and make notes at the same time. This becomes even more difficult if they are an active member of the

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meeting. For that reason a minutes secretary is not normally expected to participate as fully in a meeting as the other members.

If the meeting is not too big, you can probably record people’s contributions using their initials (KP, HT, MA) rather than their full names. You can also do this in any minutes so long as the names appear in full in the list of attendees.

The first time the name of an organisation is mentioned, it should be spelled out in full – as in Product Management Corporation, or the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Trust. Thereafter, you can use acronyms formed by the initial letters of its name (PMC and QEJT). In very big meetings, these names and acronyms are often listed in an appendix.

Prepare in advance as much as possible. Make sure you have a copy of the minutes of the last meeting, and that they have been circulated to other committee members. Making a record of a meeting is always easier if you know the agenda in advance, and even if you know who might be in attendance.

Make sure you have a copy of the meeting agenda. Get to the meeting early so that you can record the names of other people as they arrive – if you know them. If you don’t know the attendees, wait until the meeting has started, then circulate a blank sheet on which people are asked to PRINT their names. Don’t circulate this attendance sheet before the meeting starts, because if some people arrive late, the chances are that they will be missed.

c. At the meeting

listen attentively, jotting down key words;

use the agenda document as a template;

leave enough space between items for your jottings;

summarize what’s said, using a system of shorthand;

ask for clarification if necessary.

d.To avoid wasting your time spent in meetings, be sure your notes and minutes answer these 10 questions:

1) When was the meeting?

2) Who attended?

3) Who did not attend? (Include this information if it matters.) 4) What topics were discussed?

5) What was decided?

6) What actions were agreed upon?

7) Who is to complete the actions, by when?

8) Were materials distributed at the meeting? If so, are copies or a link available?

9) Is there anything special the reader of the minutes should know or do? 10)Is a follow-up meeting scheduled? If so, when? where? why?

e.Minutes need headings so that readers can skim for the information they need. Your template may include these:

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1.Name of Organisation or group

2.Name of Meeting – it might be a regular meeting or one with a specific purpose

3.Date of Meeting

4.Names of those attending – plus their positions or the organisations they represent

5.Apologies for absence – those giving their apologies for non-attendance

6.Topics

7.Agenda item One – This is usually the minutes of the last meeting

8.Agenda item Two

9.Agenda item Three … and so on …

10.Decisions or Actions Agreed Upon Person responsible

Deadline

11.Any other business 12.Next Meeting Date and Time Location

f.Do write minutes soon after the meeting – preferably within 48 hours. That way, those who attended can be reminded of action items, and those who did not attend will promptly know what happened.

g.Don’t skip writing minutes just because everyone attended the meeting and knows what happened. Meeting notes serve as a record of the meeting long after people forget what happened.

h.Don’t describe all the “he said, she said” details unless those details are very important. Record topics discussed, decisions made, and action items.

i.Don’t include any information that will embarrass anyone (for example, “Then Terry left the room in tears”).

j. Do use positive language. Rather than describing the discussion as heated or angry, use passionate, lively, or energetic – all of which are just as true as the negative words.

(Reviewed and abridged from: http://www.mantex.co.uk/2010/10/20/ how-to-write-the-minutes-of-meetings/; http://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2006/01/tips_for_writin.html)

6. Do you know the difference between a personal profile and a curriculum vitae (CV)? When are they written? What are their aims? Read the texts below and say which of them is a personal profile and which is a curriculum vitae. Where is a personal profile usually placed? Are these CV and a personal profile for a job or for university/college application? Explain why.

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Text 1

Annette Bell

Address: 28 Beaumont Road, Plymouth PL 1 4SQ

Email: a.bell@rocketmail.com

Photo Telephone: 01752 821617

<……..>

Media organization experience

(Reviewed from: “Intelligent Business. Workbook. Advanced Business English”. P. 35)

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Text 2

A highly motivated and ambitious graduate with excellent organizational and communication skills.

During my studies I successfully combined university assignments with an internship with an international media organization. I have also won two awards for my work editing the university magazine, The Varsity Times, demonstrating both writing and organizational skills as well as the ability to manage a team. As president of the university social committee, I also negotiated with suppliers and promoted university events including a music festival, which raised over $6,000 for charity.

I have represented the university in tennis and rowing and worked on promoting local voluntary projects.

I have a keen analytical mind with a practical approach to problems solving and am reliable, hardworking and eager to learn. I am passionate about promotion and wish to pursue a career in PR.

(Reviewed from: “Intelligent Business. Workbook. Advanced Business English”. P. 35)

7. CVs for a job can be of different formats. Match the formats of CVs to their descriptions:

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(Abridged from: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/cvs/Pages/default.aspx)

8. Read the article below form the BBC site and sum up (in writing) the tips about how to write a successful CV for a job. Compare your summarized tips with the partner’s. Are they the same?

How to write a successful CV

By Kevin Peachey

Personal finance reporter,

BBC News

Employers receive an average of 60 applicants for every advertisement for a low-skilled job, and 20 for every skilled job.

Significantly, almost half of these candidates are perfectly suitable for the role, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

So that makes their CV – or curriculum vitae – all the more important when attempting to stand out from the crowd.

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Experts say there are some golden rules for getting a CV correct, not least accuracy, spelling and grammar.

Don’t repeat the mistakes, they say, of a lawyer who stressed his “dew diligence”, or the applicant who ignored commas when describing his interests as “cooking dogs and interesting people”.

If sending a CV as a hard copy, along with a job application, then it needs to be neat and typed if possible.

Increasingly, applicants are asked to send a digital copy of a CV. If this is the case then the first set of “eyes” to see it might be an automated search for key words, so experts suggest applicants ensure mandatory requirements in the job advert are included in a CV.

Corinne Mills, managing director of Personal Career Management, which provides career coaching, says that digital CVs should be in a simple format and font so readability is not affected on different screens.

Other tips from Mrs Mills, the CIPD, and the National Careers Service in-

clude:

–Tailor a CV to a specific job – it is vital to ensure the script is relevant to each job application, rather than sending the same generic CV.

–Keep it simple – it should be easy to read and use active language. Two pages of A4 is enough with a mini profile included in the first half page.

–Include key information – personal details, including name, address, phone number, email address and any professional social media presence should be clear. A date of birth is no longer needed, owing to age discrimination rules. A photo is only essential for jobs such as acting and modelling, otherwise it is a matter of choice.

–Showcase achievements – offer evidence of how targets were exceeded and ideas created, but always be honest.

–Check and double check – avoid sloppy errors, take a fresh look the next day and ask for a second opinion from a trusted friend or colleague.

Mrs Mills says it is important that applicants put modesty aside and show self-confidence in their CV. “If you are not confident about your skills and abilities then why should an employer have faith in you,” she says.

CVs have been around for years and Ruth Stuart, research adviser at the CIPD, says that she expects their format to evolve as technology changes. Some employers are asking for video CVs, where applicants describe their skills and experience on a short video filmed on their smartphone, or requesting jobseekers

complete application forms online.

However, she argues that CVs will always be useful. “If your CV is al-

ways up-to-date then you can quite easily fill in those online applications because you have got all that information to hand,” she says.

There are plenty of useful tools and templates to assist people writing up their CV for the first time, or brushing up an existing one: CV writing factsheet and CV builders with various tips and templates.

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CVs can be produced in a different format for job applications outside of the UK. For example, the equivalent of the CV in the US is the “resume”. This has much the same aims by outlining job talents, work history, education and career goals, as well as how a candidate’s experience and skills would be suited to the job being advertised.

(Abridged from: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-15573447)

9. Do you know what else you usually have to write and enclose to your CV (with a personal profile) when you apply for a job or a university course/ academic programme?

A cover letter or a letter of application is an important part of an application process. Have you ever written it? What is the purpose of it? What kind of information does it usually contain? What style is typical of a cover letter? How should you begin and end your letter? Discuss your ideas in a group. Then read the text below and check your ideas.

Writing a smart cover letter can get your foot in the door, even if you have a weak CV/resume.

The first thing a potential employer/university administration see in your job/university application is the cover letter. This doesn’t just support your CV – it’s an opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd and persuade the recruiter to put you through to the next round. Be wary of spending hours on perfecting your CV at the expense of your cover letter.

Such a letter introduces you, explains your purpose for writing, highlights a few of your experiences or skills, and requests an opportunity to meet personally with the potential employer/university administration.

Precisely because this letter is your introduction and because first impressions count, you should take great care to write an impressive and effective letter. Remember that the letter not only tells of your accomplishments but also reveals how effectively you can communicate.

A cover letter is meant to:

–Introduce yourself to the hiring manager/head of the department.

–Argue why you’d be a good fit for the job/applicant for a course/academic programme.

–Fill in places your CV cannot describe.

–Further explain other aspects of your CV.

A cover letter is usually a one page document that you send with your

CV/resume when applying for a job or applying for an academic programme/course.

The appropriate content, format, and tone for application letters vary according to the position and the personality of the applicant. A standard, conservative style is ideal for sectors such as business, law, accountancy, retail and education. For more creative sectors, a letter like this might be less appealing, and could work against you.

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To begin your cover letter, include both the employer’s/university and your contact information. Find out to whom you’re writing! Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes for a second. Would you like to be addressed as “Dear Sir or Madame?” or “To whom it may concern?” “Dear Sir or Madame” makes you sound like you’re from the year 1865, and “to whom it may concern” is very irritating to hiring managers. You can easily avoid this problem by doing your research. Look through the company’s/university’s website or even give the company a call to ask for the hiring manager’s name. Even if you get it wrong, it still looks like you’ve made an effort.

Introduce yourself. In the first paragraph of your cover letter, begin by telling the employer/the university administration the position/course or programme you are applying for and how you learned about the opportunity. The rest of this paragraph should briefly present basic info about yourself, including: degree, area of study/expertise, and your career goals in terms of how they align with the goals of the company/contents of the course.

The second paragraph should respond directly to the job description written by the hiring manager or the academic programme description. Describe how your previous job experiences, skills, and abilities will allow you to meet the company’s needs or how your previous education can help you succeed in your further studies. To make that easier, you can (and should) literally include words and phrases from the job/programme description in your cover letter.

When applying for a job to go the extra mile, do some research about the company, and try to find out what they are doing – and why – given the current state of their industry.

In a third paragraph, explain how you can fit into that scheme, and help push the company forward and achieve any goals you suspect they may have, or why your participation in the academic programme will be efficient.

The final paragraph is called the “call to action” portion of your cover letter. Inform them that you’d want to get interviewed. Tell them that you’ll be in contact with them in a week if you don’t hear back. Thank them for spending the time to read your cover letter.

Now analyse the sample below.

5 Hill Street

Madison, Wisconsin 53700

March 15, 2005

Ms. Helen Jones

President

Jones, Jones & Jones

123 International Lane

Boston, Massachusetts 01234

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